File 9 - Files: 111-118

12 cm of textual records

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten correspondence (letters, postcards, cartes de visites and
telegrams) as well as typed/handwritten sent by Émile Zola between January of 1891 and September of 1892.
Recurring correspondents include Henry Céard, Léon Hennique, Jacques van Santen Kolff, Numa Coste,
Edmond de Goncourt, Gabriel Thyébaut and Alfred Bruneau. The letters pertain to both personal and
professional matters. Works discussed in these files include La Bête humaine, L’Argent and La Débâcle. This
period also includes the birth of Zola’s son, Jacques, as can be seen in Zola’s letter to Henry Céard explaining
that he would be away during Jacque’s birth and thus requests that Céard be present at his birth, name his son
and then place an ad in the newspaper to update Zola (letter dated September 8, 1891, in File #113). As well,
Zola’s language with various doctors and Céard implies a need for discretion and secrecy up until 1891, when
Alexandrine Zola finds out about Jeanne Rozerot and the children (as seen in letters to Céard and Jeanne
Rozerot, dated 10 November, 1891, in File #114).

Added by S Mohtadi 26 October 2018.